The Influence of Local Food Environments on Adolescents’ Food Purchasing Behaviors
Open Access
- 15 April 2012
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Vol. 9 (4), 1458-1471
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9041458
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between the neighborhood food environment and the food purchasing behaviors among adolescents. Grade 7 and 8 students (n = 810) at 21 elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire assessing their food purchasing behaviors. Parents of participants also completed a brief questionnaire providing residential address and demographic information. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to assess students’ home and school neighborhood food environment and land use characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the home neighborhood food environment on students’ food purchasing behaviors, while two-level Hierarchical Non-Linear Regression Models were used to examine the effects of school neighborhood food environment factors on students’ food purchasing behaviors. The study showed that approximately 65% of participants reported self-purchasing foods from fast-food outlets or convenience stores. Close proximity (i.e., less than 1 km) to the nearest fast-food outlet or convenience store in the home neighborhood increased the likelihood of food purchasing from these food establishments at least once per week by adolescents (p < 0.05). High fast-food outlet density in both home and school neighborhoods was associated with increased fast-food purchasing by adolescents (i.e., at least once per week; p < 0.05). In conclusion, macro-level regulations and policies are required to amend the health-detracting neighborhood food environment surrounding children and youth’s home and school.Keywords
This publication has 30 references indexed in Scilit:
- Quantifying the magnitude of environmental exposure misclassification when using imprecise address proxies in public health researchSpatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology, 2012
- Snacking in Children: The Role of Urban Corner StoresPublished by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ,2009
- The Influence of the Physical Environment and Sociodemographic Characteristics on Children's Mode of Travel to and From SchoolAmerican Journal of Public Health, 2009
- Environmental influences on physical activity levels in youthHealth & Place, 2009
- Obesity and the Built Environment: Does the Density of Neighborhood Fast-Food Outlets Matter?American Journal of Health Promotion, 2009
- Obesity and the community food environment: a systematic reviewPublic Health Nutrition, 2008
- Creating Healthy Food and Eating Environments: Policy and Environmental ApproachesAnnual Review of Public Health, 2008
- Neighbourhood fast food outlets and obesity in children and adults: the CLAN StudyPediatric Obesity, 2008
- Mapping the evolution of 'food deserts' in a Canadian city: Supermarket accessibility in London, Ontario, 1961–2005International Journal of Health Geographics, 2008
- Fast food for family meals: relationships with parent and adolescent food intake, home food availability and weight statusPublic Health Nutrition, 2007